Border Telegraph | Sport | Royalty coming to Lauder for 25th Horse Trials

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 13th August, 2008 09:00

Royalty coming to Lauder for 25th Horse Trials

By Alexa Brown

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THIRLESTANE Castle will this weekend play host to the 25th annual International Horse Trials, and organisers hope that this year’s celebration will be bigger and better than ever before.

For the first time ever, the event will host the FEI Junior European Championships, which will see over 65 riders aged between 15 and 18 years old competing for the title.

And visitors could find themselves in the presence of royalty as it has been revealed that HRH Zara Phillips, Eventing World Champion, will be making the trip to Thirlestane.

Thirlestane Horse Trials President Captain Gerald Maitland-Carew said: “We have 16 national teams arriving for the Junior European Eventing Championship this week, from the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia to France, Italy and the U.K. It’s very exciting to be hosting the event this year.

“As well as all the horse events, it’s going be a great family weekend. The ambience of the whole thing is always fantastic and I can’t wait to see some great horses and very talented horse people.”

The four-day event will kick-off in style tomorrow (Thursday) as two full days of dressage get underway, before show day on Friday with the Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier and also working, show and ridden hunter classes.

Saturday and Sunday will see the popular cross country and show jumping events, with dozens of horses and riders covering a huge 4,000 metre course throughout the Thirlestane Castle grounds.

There will also be a packed schedule of entertainment, with the ‘Family Fun’ ring offering something for everyone on Saturday and Sunday. As well as this, over 100 trade stands will be offering horse care products, gifts, food, crafts and much more.

Entry to the grounds will cost £5 on Thursday and Friday, and £15 on Saturday and Sunday. Entry for children under 12 is free when accompanied by a paying adult.

For more information log on to www.thirlestane.org or call 01578 722 744.

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